And So It Begins
by luv2luvduchovny
Summary: Mulder, Scully and Doggett travel to New Orleans to investigate the St. Martin family.


Title: And So It Begins Part 1  
Author: Jay  
Email:  
Rating: PG/PG-13  
Category: Post Truth Fic  
Spoilers: None  
Keywords: MSR  
Summary: The X-Files are back! CGB Spender is dead, or  
is he? The FBI, CIA, Military and DOD officials that were  
not involved in the original alien conspiracy have now gained  
new insight thanks to some leaks after Mulder's military  
trial, putting the alien and super soldier organizations  
at a temprary stand still. There are now four Agents in the  
new basement office. S.A.C. Fox W. Mulder. (Special Agent in  
Charge) A.S.A.C. Dana K. Scully (Assistant Special Agent In  
Charge) Special Agents John Doggett and Monica Reyes.  
Kersh has proven his loyalty as "a friend", hasn't he?  
And the new Deputy Director looks suspiciously like  
A.---wait, it is Skinner!  
Now that the running is over, for the time being,  
what new monsters might our heroes find waiting for them?  
What new cases will fill the file drawers of the new  
X-Files?  
Vampires, historical witchesand voodo...oh my!

Archive: Free to all, just let me know first please.

Disclaimer: Mulder, Scully and all things X-Files are mine in my heart,  
but legally belong to C.C. and Co.

"Mulder, no. We've been over this a hundred times." Scully exhaled

Mulder hated to keep pushing the subject but he kept hoping she would  
give in. When they were contacted about returning to Washington he  
had managed to get his old apartment back. Scully had taken an  
apartment in Arlington instead of going back to Georgetown but Mulder  
knew there were a couple of apartments available in his building.

"Until we are completely sure that everything is safe, I'd be more  
comfortable having you closer."

"I'm three blocks away."

"And that's too far."

Scully gave Mulder one of her looks. Mulder held his hands up. She  
always won.

The phone on Mulder's desk rang. Mulder smiled at Scully. "And so it  
begins." He picked up the phone and , with a little more enthusiasm than  
necessary, said "Mulder."

Scully just shook her head and smiled.

"We'll be right up." Mulder said into the phone. He hung up and stood.  
"We have an appointment with the Deputy Director this morning." He  
went around the desk as Scully stood. He leaned in close to her and  
grinned. "I've got goosebumps!" Scully rolled her eyes at him.

"It's nice to have you two standing in this office again." Skinner said as  
Mulder and Scully sat down across from him.

"It's good to be bcak." Mulder said, the silly grin still plastered on his  
face.

"It's good to see you, sir." Scully said with a warm smile. "Congratulations  
on the new position."

"Thank you, Scully. How are things downstairs? A little cramped?"

"We'll manage." Scully answered. Mulder's smile faltered slightly but he  
didn't comment.

"I'll get right to it," Skinner took a case file from the pile on his desk and  
handed it to Mulder. "You should enjoy this one." Mulder raised his  
eyebrows and looked at Scully before opening the file.

"Louisiana. Several unexplained deaths and some reports surrounding  
one family. Reports is a tame word. Accusations would be a better one."

Mulder was reading and listening at the same time. He leaned forward in  
his seat. "Am I reading this right?"

Skinner nodded. "A little hard to swallow, even for you?"

Mulder shook his head. "I'm not talking about the case overview. I'm  
talking about your recommendation as far as investigation assignments.  
Doggett and Scully?"

Skinner looked down at his desk and then at Scully. "As you know,  
Agent Reyes is still in New York and we don't even know if she's coming  
back. Now that you're in the SAC position, Mulder, you won't..."

"If SAC means out of the field, forget it." He snapped the folder closed and  
handed it to Scully.

"That's not what it means. We just thought that until we're sure you're  
not going to be drawing any of the usual undue attention to yourself, it  
would be better to keep you close for a while."

Mulder was nodding. "Uh-huh. We?" He looked at Scully.  
Scully wouldn't move closer to him so he could feel safer about her,  
but she'd conspier with Skinner to keep him safer. "I don't like it.  
No. No way. Scully's as much at risk as I am."

"I think that's my decision." Scully said.

Skinner watched the stare down between the two.

"I'll let you two hash this out. I'll approve any changes you want to make."

"Thank you." Mulder said with a little air of satisfaction.

"If you'll excuse us..." Scully stood.

Skinner just nodded. He felt sorry for Mulder. He knew he was in for it as  
soon as they reached the basement office.

Mulder followed Scully out.

"Mulder you know that you're more at risk than I am now that..."

"That's not true. How many times were you used just to get to me?" Mulder  
interrupted.

Scully nodded. "But with agent Doggett to watch my back..." Mulder huffed  
and turned away from her.

"What about agent Doggett?"

Mulder and Scully both turned toward the doorway. Doggett stood there with  
his eyebrows up.

"We're...uh...we're discussing the new case." Scully said.

Doggett nodded. Scully held out the case file as Doggett crossed the room.

"There may be some changes on the agent assignments." Mulder said.

Doggett was looking over the file. He flipped a few pages then looked up.

"You thinking of handling this one, Mulder?"

Mulder nodded.

"Makes sense."

"You and I will be working this case, John. Mulder needs to get things  
arranged here in the office and brush up on what it means to be in the  
SAC position." Scully said, more to Mulder than Doggett.

"Oh, yeah. Congratulations on that." Doggett said.

Mulder glared at Scully for a minute then stalked past Doggett and out  
the door.

Doggett looked confused. "Did I say something?"

Scully just shook her head and went after Mulder.

"I knew this was going to be difficult, for both of us, but I didn't think you'd  
have this much of a problem." Scully said as Mulder sat on his sofa and  
sulked.

"This much of a problem? I'm told that you and Skinner decided it was best  
for me to sit on my ass while you go out investigating an X-File with Doggett.  
Haven't we been here before?" Mulder tilted his head in mock concentration.

Scully sat down next to him and put her hand on his arm. "That's not what I meant."

Mulder was still upset but, as always, Scully's touch was enough to start calming  
him. Mulder sighed heavily.

"We pushed our feelings aside for way too long because of my...our work. When we  
finaly gave in, it cost us so much." Scully squeezed his arm lightly. He saw the same  
look in her eyes that he always saw when they came too close to that subject.

"All I'm saying is that after the last few years, it's going to be harder than I thought  
to go back to the way things were. And..." he fell silent, unsure if he should finish  
the thought.

"And?" Scully questioned.

"And I still have a problem with Doggett."

Scully sighed. "Mulder, your jealousy of John and I was the one thing I could never  
understand."

"You should have paid more attention to the way he used to look at you, talk to you,  
worry about you..." Mulder ground his teeth slightly. "Touch you."

"I was too busy worrying about you." Scully said softly.

Mulder's heart did a little two step in his chest. Even after all these years together,  
she still had that ability to make him feel like a school boy. He smiled and placed a  
palm on her cheek, his thumb rubbing her soft skin gently.  
"That's my Scully. Always so unaware of the effect she has on other men. But not with  
me, you always knew exactly how to keep me wrapped around your finger."

Scully turned her face into Mulder's hand and pressed her lips to his palm.  
"Not always."

"Scully?" Mulder swallowed to clear the lumb in his throat.

"Mulder?" Scully raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going back to work?"

"That's up to you." Her eyes met his and he saw that playful glint there.

"Maybe later." His hand went on into her hair and he leaned forward to capture her lips with his. Her hand went into his hair and their familiar dance began.

Mulder paced around Scully's apartment like a caged animal.  
"You'll let me know as soon as you get there?"  
"I'll call you when we stop at the hotel."  
Mulder stopped pacing. "Hotel?"  
Scully sighed. "We're stopping for one night."  
Mulder reminded himself of the promise he'd made Scully. No jealous fits. No  
paranoid rants. No tantrums about not going on the case.  
"Ready?" Scully was standing by her door waiting on Mulder.  
Mulder walked over and picked up two of Scull's bags and they walked out to the  
rental car. As they put her bags in the trunk Mulder leaned close to her.  
"I'm going to miss you."  
Scully touched his forearm and slid her hand over the smooth skin. "I'm going to  
miss you too."  
As they walked around to the driver's side and Mulder opened the door for her, Scully  
gave him a smile. "I'll make sure my reports are on time."  
"Oh, you're funny." Mulder leaned in and gave her a light kiss. He was about to speak  
but Scully stopped him.  
"Mulder, if you tell me to be careful, I'll make a voodoo doll of you when we get to  
New Orleans and stick pins in it on an hourly bases."  
Mulder grinned. "You don't believe in voodoo."  
Scully grinned back. "No, but you do."  
Mulder stopped grinning and Scully laughed. "I'll talk to you later tonight. Tomorrow  
morning at the latest." Mulder closed the door for her and waved as she drove off.  
He watched her car until it was out of sight and as he headed for his apartment he  
thought about how neither he nor Scully were able to tell each other goodbye when they  
were parting.

"They're on their way."  
"Is he with them?"  
"No. But he'll come. We'll make sure of that."  
"We have to have the believer. The two skeptics will only cause more trouble."  
"I know. Don't worry. We can do this."  
The three men exchanged glances and nods.

"Have you read this thing?" Dogget asked, tossing the case file on the small table in  
Scully's hotel room. They had checked in and agreed to meet in her room to go over  
the case file some more.  
"Vampires, witches, voodoo. Would you expect anything less from New Orleans?" Scully  
asked, opening a bottle of water and taking a seat at the table. "Water?" she offered  
Doggett.  
"No, thanks. But I think..." Scully's phone rang, interrupting Dogett.  
Scully saw Mulder's number on the screen and smiled.  
"Mulder?" she said into the phone.  
She heard the smile in his voice. "Noooo. I'm Mulder. You're Scully. You at the hotel?"  
"Yes, just got here."  
Doggett pointed to the door and Scully shook her head no.  
Doggett shook his head too. "Going to grab a beer at the store next door." He said in  
a low voice.  
Scully nodded and realized Mulder was completely silent on the other end of the phone.  
"Mulder? Still there?" Scully asked as Doggett left.  
"Still here." Scully could tell from the cahnge in his voice that he had heard  
Doggett.  
"We're going over the case." Scully said simply.  
"I didn't say a word." Mulder said.  
"But you were thinking it."  
"Oooo, now you're a mind reader?" Mulder teased.  
Scully smiled. "You're on open book."  
"Miss me?" Mulder asked.  
"Yes."  
"Listen, I've been doing some thinking about this case. I know you two don't believe  
half the stuff in the file, but try to keep an open mind when it comes to some of  
the reports surrounding the four brothers. They seem to be the key. And there's something  
I can't put my finger on that's bugging me..."  
"Mulder, slow down. We'll look at every aspect with an open mind. You know I've learned  
enough over the years to at least do that."  
Mulder sighed. "I just wish I could be there too. I know I'm going to miss all the  
good stuff."  
"So it's not me you miss. It's being out in the field."  
Mulder stammered. "No, I didn't mean...Scully, you're a smart ass."  
They both laughed. Someone knocked on Scully's door.  
"That's probably John." Scully said and went to the door, looking out the window before  
opeing it.  
"Well, I'll let you two get back to work. Don't get drunk." Mulder said in one of his  
I'm kidding, but I'm not tones.  
"Talk to you soon." Scully said and hung up as Doggett was taking a six pack of beer out  
of the bag he was holding.

Mulder tossed the phone onto the coffee table and ran his hands over his face. He  
stared at the TV but didn't really see what was on. Maybe it was true. Maybe he did  
miss being in the field even more than he missed Scully. No, not more than, but maybe just as much.  
"He can't protect her. Not like you can." His mind whispered to him. "He doesn't know  
what to watch for. Who to watch for. And drinking on the first night...careless."  
Mulder sat up quickly. To hell with his safety and SAC position and every other excuse  
Skinner and Scully had come up with. If he left now he could get to the hotel before  
they left in the morning.  
He packed quickly, still listening to the whispers in his head.

Mulder finaly convinced the desk clerk to give him the key to Scully's room. As he used  
the key card on the electronic lock he wondered if Scully would be so mad at him that  
she would kick him out. He smiled at the thought.  
He eased the door closed behind him and looked at Scully sleeping. Should he wake her  
or let her find him sitting there watching her when she woke up? He crossed the room  
and knelt down next to the bed. He reached out to bruck the hair from her forehead.  
Scully stirred and woke with a start.  
"It's okay. It's me." Mulder said quickly.  
"Mulder? What are you doing here?"  
"I couldn't help it Scully. There's something bothering me about this case and I couldn't  
shake this feeling I have. I know you are more than able to take care of yourself but I  
was still really worried."  
Scully sighed.  
Mulder put on his best please forgive me face. "I'm really sorry."  
Scully reached out and caressed Mulder's cheek.  
"What am I going to do with you?"  
Mulder grinned. "Are you taking suggestions?"  
"No. Just come to bed. I want to go back to sleep."  
Without a word Mulder undressed to his boxers and slid under the covers behind Scully,  
his body spooning perfectly to hers.

"So, the reputation that this family has, you think there's any truth in it?"  
Doggett asked. They were all sitting around the table in Scully's room eating breakfast.  
Mulder shrugged.  
"No offense, but I can't buy that. Sounds like something out of an Anne Rice novel."  
Doggett said.  
Scully raised an eyebrow and Mulder grinned. "YOU read Anne Rice?" Mulder asked.  
Doggett huffed. "No. Monica does. It's the whole New Orleans thing."  
Mulder nodded, still grinning.  
"Many horror novels are based on at least some facts. We have a very old family with  
a colorful history to say the least. Disappearances, murders, unexplained deaths, unusual  
occurances, even dead relatives seen alive again. You're going to tell me that there's  
a logical or scientific way to explain ALL of it?" Mulder looked back and forth at Doggett  
and Scully.  
"Yes." Scully said matter of factly.  
It was Doggett's turn to grin.  
Mulder just shook his head. "Guess you've forgotten all about your old flame, Hartwell."  
Scully gave Mulder a stern look. "Mulder. Don't."  
"Scully had a crush on a vampire." Mulder mock whispered to Doggett from behind his hand.  
"The case with the pizza guy where you..." Doggett said.  
Mulder looked surprised. "You HAVE done your homework on The X-Files."  
"I tried." Doggett admitted. "That was one that was pretty much unsolved, wasn't it?"  
Mulder nodded. "Scully let him go." he continued his tease.  
"Mulder, first of all you were the one that left me alone with Hartwell while you ran  
off to..."  
Mulder laughed. He had ruffled her feathers. Scully stopped and smiled.  
Doggett was smiling too. "Maybe we'll find this Hartwell guy in with this St. Martin  
family."  
"If Hartwell is there, you can't miss him. He has this huge..."  
"He did not." Scully said, laughing already.  
"Overbite." Mulder finished and demonstrated with his teeth. "Big buckteeth. Huge."  
Now everyone laughed.  
Scully tossed her napkin onto the table. "We'd better go. We're meeting with Detective Tyson this afternoon."


End file.
